How you like those APPLES?

So not only are apples super Yum, but did you know that they are extrmemely healthy for you as well?  I have always thought that they are just juicy and taste good, but little did I know they are also full of amazing nutrients that are great for a happy healthy body!!!!  Here are a few fun facts I collected from a few sources!!!!  Health Benefits of apples:


Bone Protection
French researchers found that a flavanoid called phloridzin that is found only in apples may protect post-menopausal women from osteoporosis and may also increase bone density. Boron, another ingredient in apples, also strengthens bones.

Asthma Help
 One recent study shows that children with asthma who drank apple juice on a daily basis suffered from less wheezing than children who drank apple juice only once per month. Another study showed that children born to women who eat a lot of apples during pregnancy have lower rates of asthma than children whose mothers ate few apples.


Alzheimer's Prevention
A study on mice at Cornell University found that the quercetin in apples may protect brain cells from the kind of free radical damage that may lead to Alzheimer's disease.

Lower Cholesterol
The pectin in apples lowers LDL ("bad") cholesterol. People who eat two apples per day may lower their cholesterol by as much as 16 percent.

Lung Cancer Prevention
According to a study of 10,000 people, those who ate the most apples had a 50 percent lower risk of developing lung cancer. Researchers believe this is due to the high levels of the flavonoids quercetin and naringin in apples.

 Colon Cancer Prevention One study found that rats fed an extract from apple skins had a 43 percent lower risk of colon cancer. Other research shows that the pectin in apples reduces the risk of colon cancer and helps maintain a healthy digestive tract.

Liver Cancer Prevention
Research found that rats fed an extract from apple skins had a 57 percent lower risk of liver cancer.

Diabetes Management
The pectin in apples supplies galacturonic acid to the body which lowers the body's need for insulin and may help in the management of diabetes.

Weight Loss
A Brazilian study found that women who ate three apples or pears per day lost more weight while dieting than women who did not eat fruit while dieting.


Also....   phytonutrients in apples, besides quercetin include phenolic acids and other flavanoids, which help the plant by protecting the apple from an assault by bacteria, fungus and virus, also provide anti-oxidant protection and anti-cancer benefits also.

Why are anti-oxidants important to you? Free radicals are nothing more than atoms with an odd number of electrons. Since electrons travel in pairs, it seeks out an electron to steal from the body's cells.  Once it steals the electron from the outer shell of the cell, the chemical composition changes and instead of a permeable membrane that allows food, oxygen in and lets out waste, it becomes hard. The cell starves. If the free radical steals from the mitochondria of the cells, it shuts down the power plant in the cell. Again, the cell dies and you have aging and illness.  The anti-oxidants in apples provide that extra electron for the free radical and block any negative effects in the body. It inhibits reactive substances that damage healthy cells and prevents disease. It also provides the building blocks for healthy cells to replace ones that die as part of the natural pattern.   Want to read more and more about the crazy scientific loveliness of apples?   Here is a great place to read up.....http://healthfood-guide.com/HealthBenefitsOfApples.aspx


We are fortunate here in Northern California to be positioned amongst a plethora of apple orchards, but for those that must seek them out here is an amazing tool I use for finding u-pick or just orchards themselves : http://pickyourown.org/

and if you are lucky enough to be in this area here is where to look and where to go for the apple picking experience!!!  http://www.applehill.com/

What is neat about apple hill is that you may go pick your own or just go up and grab a picked bushel of apples for cheap...  Bring them bad boys home and make apple butter, applesauce, apple tarts, apple pies, caramel apples!  I make apple sauce for the whole winter as well as apple cider and apple butter for all my friends and family!!!  My family celebrates Rosh Hashanah ראש השנה‎, which is the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the High Holy Days which usually occur in the early autumn.  Rosh Hashanah customs include sounding the shofar and eating symbolic foods such as apples dipped in honey.  So Apple Hill is a great destination for the kids to pick apples and pick out some Artisanal honey and spend the day basking in the sun and Autumn harvest!!!!  Of course you don't need a reason to go to apple hill, other then loving healthy apples as well as yummy wine!!!! (For those wine drinkers out there, there are a few great wineries in apple hill as well) :)~  Just to make it ultra wonderful!!!!

On to the fun stuff!!!  My orchard picks as well as some nifty recipes for what to do with all those APPLES :)

For u-pick orchards which is super fun for Children that are capable of picking ;)

Pine O'Mine

2620 Carson Road Placerville, CA (530) 344-0288

Really sweet family run orchard, and reasonably priced!!!

For Bushels and rides for the kids and gifts:

 

Abel's Apple Acres

2345 Carson Road Placerville, CA (530) 626-0136

Honey Bear Ranch

2826 Barkley Road Camino, CA (530) 344-7676

Fudge Factory Farm

2860 High Hill Road Placerville, CA (530) 644-3492

 Wineries:

There are a bunch of wineries in Apple Hill but my favorites are:

http://www.wavwines.com/ these guys have some seriously yummy wines and I spoke to the wine maker last year at a function and he said that they are vegan!!!!

http://www.boegerwinery.com/Visit-Us/Tasting-Room  this is a super sweet winery to go to to have a nice picnic with the kiddos, plenty of room for them to explore outside!!!!

http://www.madronavineyards.com/  this winery also has an amazing little picnic bench area for a picnic, they sale wine by the glass when you are done tasting and it is delish!!!

Now for the recipes:

Cinnamon Applesauce:
 About 2-4 lbs will make enough applesauce for a family of 3 for the winter!!!!  Just Chop, Cook, and Can!!!!  Chopping them is much faster if you use one of those apple corer/segmenters - you just push it down on an apple and it cuts it into segments.  Note:  You do not peel the apples! You will put the entire apple into the pot to cook.  Pretty simple put about 1 inch of water (I used either filtered tap water or store brand apple juice) on the bottom of a huge, thick-bottomed pot. Put the lid on, and the heat on high.  When it gets really going, turn it to medium high until the apples are soft through and through.  Sometimes I steam them as well, just up to you!  When Soft, I put the apples in a blender and add cinnamon to taste and puree!!!  Or you can use a food-mill, food processor or even a hand held blender works!!!!  Add apple sauce to pre treated jars and seal....  Add the jars to a stock pot of boiling water usually 3 inces of water will do the trick.  You want the water to be 1/4 up the jar but not up to the lid!  Let the jars stand in stock pot for 10 minutes to seal lids!!!! Remove and let cool completely before storing in a cool place like garage, or pantry for winter or until you use!!!!  Sooooo easy!! And not sugar or additives which is great for the kiddos!!!





Apple Bottom Butter:

• 9 quarts of Applesauce, fresh or canned about 4 lbs of apples
• 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon of allspice
• 2 to 4 cups sugar or Stevia, my preference (or if you prefer, Splenda), or an equivalent amount of sweetness to taste, from honey, stevia or frozen concentrated apple or white grape juice. Sugar is optional - some people find it sweet enough for their taste without adding any sweetener.

 Fill the crock pot to within an inch of full with applesauce, mine takes about 6 quarts....   You will add the remaining applesauce later.   Now, you CAN do this using a regular large pot on very low heat on the stove, but the crockpot works much better, because its heat is very low. 

Add:

• 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon of allspice
• 2 cups sugar (the other 2 cups are used in step 4)

Sugar is optional I usually don't use sugar but if you want good decadent gift giving apple butter add the sugar!!!!  Set the crock pot on low or medium heat.  Cover it loosely or use a large pot splatter-guard. It will spatter as it boils slowly, so I also cover nearby surfaces with towels.  You don't want to seal it tightly because you want the steam to escape so it can reduce in volume and thicken.   Leave it to cook for 6 - 18 hours.   How long depends on the size and power of your crockpot, and how thick you like it, If you want to stir it occasionally, that's fine but not necessary.  I start mine around 8 pm on high for 1 hour, then on medium until I am ready for bed around midnight, then leave it on low overnight.  It will reduce in volume by about half overnight. As it cooks down (the next morning), add the remaining applesauce (about 2 or 3 quarts) and 2 more cups of sugar. Then let it cook a couple of hours more to mix the flavors. 

• Too thick?  if the apple butter cooks down too much or is too thick for your liking, just add a little bit of apple juice and blend it in.
• Not thick enough? Just let it cook some more, with the lid off so the steam can escape!  

Now can by adding it to pre treated jars, seal lids in canner (Stock pot with water) until the jars are sealed!!!  I add some fabric and twine when jars are cooled and give this butter all over, to help bring in the fall!!!!  Great on toast, or PB sandwiches!!!

  

Vegan Carmel Apples:  (Say what?  Yes I did!!!!!!)
1 cup soy or vegan margarine*
2 cups sugar
2 cups soy milk
1 cup light corn syrup
1 t vanilla
*Optional: Add 1 tsp salt if using unsalted margarine
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the dairy-free milk, sugar, vanilla, and corn syrup, stirring well to dissolve the sugar. Using a candy thermometer, cook the mixture for about 10 minutes without stirring, or until the caramel reaches 245 F. Stir in the soy margarine, mixing until completely melted and incorporated.  Working quickly, dip each of the apples into the caramel, using a spoon or knife to help coat all of the sides. Transfer the apples to parchment paper lined baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes until set. Enjoy!

Vegan Rustic Apple Round
	For Vegan puff pastry 2 Cups all-purpose flour 20 Tbsp vegan margarine, cut into small chunks 6 Tbsp ice water 1.) Put the flour and about 4 Tbsp of the margarine into a food processor; pulse 15ish times to incorporate. Add the rest of the chunks of butter, then pulse again, but only 3-5 times. 2.) Add the water. Pulse for 10-20 seconds, until it starts to form a ball of dough. 3.)Squash it into a square, then wrap this tightly in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge until firm. 1 hour, but the longer the dough was in the fridge, the firmer it get, so if you can leave it for a couple hours, even better. Or you can freeze if you need it for another day!!! Should make enough for 2 / 9' pies!!! For the apple round Preheat oven 450 I use 3 large fugi or gala apples just sliced peels on, but if that is not your thing peel em by all means ;) 2 tablespoons of cinnamon 4 tablespoons of vegan sugar and a pinch of nutmeg!!! 3 tbs Vegan margarine In a saute pan I heat on medium the butter, and then add the apples... I sprinkle the apples with the cinnamon and the sugar and continue to stir till they are nice and tender, it takes about 2 minutes or so... You don't want them mussy just a tad tender.... Using puff pastry I roll out a 12 by 12 inch rectangle. I like to use sugar instead of flour while rolling out my pastry so it makes the crust nice and sweet.. I then spoon the apples in a circle shape in the middle and work the edges in, overlapping to make it the cute rustic shape..... Bake for 15-20 minutes, but keep your eye on it, you want the pastry to rise and get golden brown.... I like it to be a tad browner.... Serves 4 for dessert, super yummy with some yummy soy vanilla ice cream!!

Rosh hashana Cake!!!
Found this recipe I am going to try, but this is my first year trying to veganize the jewish treats I usually make so here is one that I found that I am sharing!!!  Again not my recipe just a cool one I found to try!  But guess who did create it?  UMMMM BLOSSOM!!!! ;)  How cool is that?  Nerd alert!  Right here!
http://www.kveller.com/mayim-bialik/vegan-honey-cake-for-rosh-hashanah/

 I hope that everyone takes advantage of the harvest, your body will be happy for it....  If you have any vegan apple recipes to share please comment below, thanks for reading!  Tread Lightly!!!